In TLP, when should reconnaissance be conducted?

Reconnaissance in the Troop Leading Procedures (TLP) is critical for understanding the operational environment and ensuring informed decision-making. Conducting reconnaissance after making a tentative plan allows leaders to gather essential information that can confirm or alter their initial considerations based on the terrain, enemy positions, and other variables.

This phase is crucial because it provides context to the tentative plan, ensuring that the leader's understanding aligns with the ground realities. By validating the initial ideas and assessing potential contingencies, reconnaissance helps refine the plan and enhances the likelihood of mission success. This practice reflects the adaptive nature of military planning, where leaders must remain responsive to real-time information and conditions.

Other options, although they may suggest steps in the planning process, do not align with the established framework of conducting reconnaissance efficiently and effectively. Conducting reconnaissance before issuing a warning order or before completing a plan does not leverage the full benefits of aligning situational awareness with a developing plan, while reconnaissance after initiating movement can lead to missed opportunities for prior adjustment and coordination.